


Deliverance

by Dimity Blue (Arnie)



Category: Upstairs Downstairs (1971)
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Episode Fix-it, Episode Related, F/M, episode s02e03 Married Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23233303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnie/pseuds/Dimity%20Blue
Summary: Thomas Watkins finds he can't stand back and do nothing after all.Fix it for season 2 episode 3 "Married Love". Spoilers for that episode and the following episode "Whom God Hath Joined".
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Deliverance

**Author's Note:**

> In the season 2 episode 3 "Married Love", Laurence Kirbridge arranges for his publisher, Sir Edwin, to consummate his marriage for him. In the next episode "Whom God Hath Joined", it's shown his wife, Elizabeth (née Bellamy) doesn't remember that night at all.
> 
> I wanted someone to save Elizabeth.

Thomas wished, for just one moment, that his references were genuine and he really had been in service for a number of years. If he had, surely he'd know what to do in a situation like this. His first, survival-based, instinct was to keep his head down, but he'd been playing the part of someone who was happy to oblige for a while now and it was having a bad effect on his character.

Plus, if he had to choose between his unhappy little mistress or her selfish husband and his slimy publisher, the choice was an easy one. Disgusting, that's what it was.

Accordingly, he grabbed Rose, towed her upstairs, and hid her out of sight, then knocked on the bedroom door.

"Sir Edwin?" he called, quietly but firmly. "Sir Edwin?"

There was a pause, then the door opened enough to show Sir Edwin's annoyed face.

"Mr. Kirbridge said you're wanted downstairs, sir. He said it was urgent." Thomas had a great deal of experience in lying well and he could see the faint look of indecision in Sir Edwin's eyes. It was, after all, possible that the master of the house had changed his mind about letting Sir Edwin debauch his wife.

Sir Edwin glanced over his shoulder, then pulled the door further open. It seemed he'd decided to spare a minute checking for a go ahead. "Yes, of course." He closed the door behind him and strolled off down the stairs.

Thomas beckoned to Rose and followed her into Mrs. Kirbridge's bedroom. Fortunately, Sir Edwin had only got as far as removing Mrs. Kirbridge's dress. Unfortunately for Rose and Thomas, she was flat out on her back and snoring quietly.

"Oh, my Lord! Miss Lizzie!"

"No time for that now!" Thomas said. Mrs. Kirbridge couldn't defend herself, nor could she overrule the master's orders if he came in. All Thomas could think of was to get her out of the bedroom. "Quick!" He moved Rose to one side and scooped up the unconscious woman bridal style.

"What you gonna do?" Rose demanded. "They'll know we moved her."

"Not if we don't admit to it. Close the door behind us." He hurried across the hall and into the master's bedroom with Rose on his heels. It was just in time, too, as Sir Edwin came back up the stairs and let himself confidently into Mrs. Kirbridge's bedroom.

Thomas hoped fervently that Sir Edwin would look in the en suite bathroom before coming out.

"Down the stairs, quick, and check the hall!" he urged Rose.

She ran down and Thomas followed her partway, but he couldn't hear the party over the pounding of his heart. He was a fool to risk his position for the spoilt baggage who weighed more than he expected. He ought to leave her on the stairs and let Sir Edwin heave her back into her bedroom.

There was a wave from Rose just as the door above them clicked open, and Thomas, Rose, and oblivious-to-it-all Mrs. Kirbridge were in the kitchen before Sir Edwin reached the stairs.

"Now what?" Rose demanded.

In response, Thomas dashed into his bedroom and rolled Mrs. Kirbridge up in his bedclothes. "Grab my coat - and my wallet!" he ordered, and three more minutes saw them slipping out of the back door.

"We're going to get caught!" Rose muttered annoyingly in his ear.

"Not now, we're not!" Thomas wasn't about to go to prison for anyone, and that included the spoilt little madam he worked for. Mr. Kirbridge and Sir Edwin would have to catch them first. He stashed Mrs. Kirbridge in the back seat of the Dennis and all but shoved Rose in behind her. He threw a quick glance at the back door of the house and wished he'd taken the time to lock it, but there was no point in repining now. He turned the car's crank and scrambled into the driver's seat just as the door began to open. He heard a shout but the car lurched into motion before they could be reached and they sailed off up the street.

Thomas didn't bother heading straight for London. The car couldn't outrun half of the sleek machines parked near the front door. But, while those drivers had speed, Thomas knew the lay of the land. A few corners and a quick turn saw them hiding out in a dense copse that even the moonlight couldn't penetrate.

"What do we do now?" Rose asked, her voice shaking to a lamentable degree, though Thomas couldn't tell if it was with cold or fright.

"Now we try to get to Belgravia." Thomas watched the headlights of half a dozen expensive cars pass by on the main road.

"We'll do that sitting here, will we?"

Thomas grinned. Her voice might be shaking but Rose was far from giving up. He opened his door and stepped down onto the ground. "First things first, give me my coat and wallet." He put his coat on and buttoned it up, grateful for the added warmth. "You think you can share the mistress's blankets?"

Rose looked doubtful but they managed to loosen one enough to cover her too.

"Now, we can take a roundabout route to Eaton Place."

From the darkness of the back seat, Rose said, "Let's hope we make it."

"We better had or we'll both be in prison for kidnapping."

~'~

"Rose, Rosie!"

As Thomas had thought, she'd fallen asleep.

"Huh, what? What time is it?"

"It's almost midnight. Is anyone likely to still be up?"

"Maybe. It depends." Rose yawned. "If Mr. Bellamy and Lady Marjorie have been out, they will. Mr. Hudson could be. If I go down the area steps, I can get his attention." She leaned forward, her face a pale smudge in the dark. "Where are we?"

"On Eaton Square. I didn't want to drive down Eaton Place if they were waiting for us." As Rose echoed the words, Thomas turned in his seat. "This is how I see it: I park the car by the area steps and you get yourself down them and get Mr. Hudson's attention. Once Mrs. Kirbridge is in her parents' hands, she's safe, see? Though it'll be our word against theirs. Oh, Rosie, we may end up unemployed after this if they don't believe us."

"I'll make 'em believe us! That man was - Miss Elizabeth... He would have... I'll make 'em believe us!"

Thomas couldn't help but smile. "You may have to use a few more words than that. Well, let's go then."

Eaton Place seemed quiet as Thomas pulled up by the area steps. Rose jumped out as though released by a spring and was down the steps before Thomas could blink. The loud hammering and shouting she set up could have woken the dead and Thomas got a fright when Mrs. Kirbridge, still sounding more drunk than sober, loudly demanded to know why her head hurt.

Thomas scrambled out of the car as Rose and Hudson came running up the area steps.

"Oh! Oh, Miss Elizabeth, you're awake!"

"Of course I'm awake! Where are we?" She gave a gasp. "Where's my dress?"

Hudson gave Thomas a pointed look. After a few seconds, it sank in and Thomas stripped off his coat and handed it to Rose.

"Here you go, Miss El... Mrs. Kirbridge, you put this on and then we can get you into the house."

"Oh. Thank you, Rose." There was a short delay, then Mrs. Kirbridge stepped out of the car. "Oh, Hudson."

"Good evening, Mrs. Kirbridge. I hope you won't mind going through the servants' hall." He led her towards the steps as he spoke. "It's rather late and the front door's locked."

"I'm dreadfully tired." It came out as almost a sob. "And my head hurts."

"It's alright, Mrs. Kirbridge," Rose said, as they reached the area door. "I'll get you some hot milk and put you to bed."

"No!" Mrs. Kirbridge pulled free and held the front of Thomas's coat tightly against herself. "I don't want to go to bed! I...I'll just sit here for a while." She pushed past Hudson and hurried over to the fire.

"Perhaps Mr. Hudson should fetch Mr. Bellamy?" Thomas suggested.

Hudson frowned at him but Rose agreed. "Oh, yes! Mr. Bellamy won't let them take her away!"

Hudson opened his mouth, then shut it again, merely giving a nod and a gesture for Thomas to follow him before heading up the stairs. As Thomas obeyed, he heard, "I hope you're prepared to explain yourself to the master."

Thomas realised he really wasn't.

~'~

If there was one thing Thomas really disliked it was answers being demanded of him. The answers being demanded by an irate father whose half-dressed daughter he'd possibly kidnapped didn't improve Thomas's feeling of the situation.

"Good God, man, you must see I want an explanation!"

"Oh, yes, sir!" Thomas's answer was heartfelt.

"Well, then!"

Thomas glanced towards Hudson whose steady gaze had been boring into him for the past three minutes. "If I might speak privately, sir."

Finally, Mr. Bellamy nodded. "Hudson, send someone to wake her ladyship."

"Yes, sir."

With Hudson's disapproving eyebrow removed, Thomas felt he could breathe again.

"Well?"

"Well, sir. Uh, Mr. Kirbridge was holding this soirée with all his poetry friends, you see. And...and Mrs. Kirbridge had been given a lot to drink. And Sir Edwin - Sir Edwin Partridge, Mr. Kirbridge's publisher - he'd been chatting to her all evening. And...and...then, well, then he was in her bedroom with her."

"You mean to tell me my daughter took this man to her bedroom?" Thunder had rumbled less ominously.

"No! No, sir! Mr. Kirbridge escorted them in, but then he left, see? And...and...and it didn't seem to me that Mrs. Kirbridge was in any fit state to be, er, entertaining a gentleman alone."

"So you kidnapped her. My God! My daughter is a married woman who's over the age of twenty-one. If she chooses to make such a terrible decision, it's not up to her servants to judge her!"

"Not judging her, sir! No! It just...didn't seem to me it was her choice! Sir. When we went in, she was unconscious, see."

Mr. Bellamy was silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on some point beyond Thomas. "Why in God's Name would Laurence do such a thing?"

Thomas had a good idea of that too, as Mrs. Kirbridge's shrill voice carried every morning, but all he offered was, "I think you'd have to ask Mrs. Kirbridge that, sir."

They left the drawing room, and Thomas fought the urge to tug at his collar. More and more, he was thinking he shouldn't have interfered. It wasn't as if Mrs. Kirbridge was likely to get into trouble being serviced by her husband's publisher. It wasn't as though Mr. Kirbridge or Sir Edwin would either. It was definitely a rum go though, in Thomas's opinion. It hadn't taken Thomas long to guess Mr. Kirbridge was a Romantic and therefore very unlikely to want the attentions of a passionate wife, so why he'd chosen to marry the lady currently wearing Thomas's coat was a mystery.

"Richard! Elizabeth -" Lady Marjorie stopped as Thomas's gaze met hers, then Thomas hurriedly shifted his gaze to the nearby wall.

There was a long pause, then Mr. Bellamy said, "Edward's room is empty as he's still in the hospital. I suggest Thomas take his bed for the night."

Thomas realised they wanted him gone while the parents and the old servants dealt with everything. Which was fine with him. "That's very kind of you, sir. Thank you. Shall I park the motorcar in the mews for the night?" He didn't suppose he could get his coat back in order to wear it outside but he could hardly go demanding it.

By the time he returned, Hudson was the only one left in the servants' hall. Still, his demeanour was faintly less frosty than it had been, so Thomas counted it as a plus and accepted his coat back with every appearance of gratitude.

"I suggest you warm yourself by the fire before I escort you up to Edward's room."

"Thank you, Mr. Hudson. It is cold out there."

"Aye, well, driving those motorcars is cold work. I'll away and put the kettle on too."

Thomas stood over the fire and soaked in the heat. He could have been in bed and asleep by now. He was too soft, that was the problem. He shook his head. Look at this night's work. _He_ was the one who'd be paying. Mr. Kirbridge wouldn't be giving him any kind of a reference, and it wouldn't bother the Bellamys that he would be out of a job without a reference or character. He'd done himself a right disservice.

"You're looking grim."

Thomas turned to find Rose by the table.

"I thought you'd be upstairs with Mrs. Kirbridge."

"Her ladyship's sitting with her. Come and have a cuppa. Or there's cocoa, if you like."

Thomas sat down and accepted the tea.

"Go on, then. What you looking so sad for? You did a good thing tonight, Thomas Watkins."

"Shot myself in the foot though, haven't I?" Thomas made sure to keep the worst of his temper out of his voice; it was possible Hudson might have some connections. "I'll be turned off without a character after this."

Rose scoffed. "I don't think so!"

"Mr. Kirbridge -"

"Mr. Kirbridge is nothing to her ladyship or Mr. Bellamy," Hudson put in, sounding stern. "A reference from them will gain you entry to the most noble of households."

"I'm right glad to hear you say that, Mr. Hudson." Thomas put on an air of relief. "While there was nothing else I could have done, I was thinking I'd be ruined."

~'~

"Do you understand what we're asking, Thomas?"

"Yes, my lady. Mrs. Kirbridge was the one who ordered me to drive her and Rose up to Eaton Place." Thomas was only too glad to have the blame shifted. After all, Mr. Kirbridge could hardly fire his own wife for scuttling his plans. "Though, what shall I say about Sir Edwin? I was the one who knocked on the door and told him the master was looking for him."

"I hardly think Laurence will ask you about that." Mr. Bellamy's mouth tightened again. "Mrs. Kirbridge will be staying here until she's feeling better. Naturally, Rose will stay with her. Your master may choose for you to return to Greenwich with him. However, I can say that we will shortly be looking for a chauffeur and the position will be yours, if you wish to accept it."

Thomas had to fight to keep the relief off his face. "That's very kind of you, Mr. Bellamy. I'll be very glad to accept."

"If Laurence turns you off, you must come straight back to us," Lady Marjorie put in.

"Thank you, my lady."

"It may not come to that," Mr. Bellamy added. "It depends entirely when Laurence arrives."

Unfortunately for Thomas, Mr. Kirbridge arrived early. He seemed astonished his wife, her maid, and his own man servant had seen fit to leave his household during his soirée but Thomas could see the unease behind his eyes.

"Mrs. Kirbridge ordered me -"

"And you didn't see fit to consult me?"

"She was most insistent, sir. I couldn't disobey her."

"It was very embarrassing!"

"I quite see that, sir, but Mrs. Kirbridge -"

"Oh, go to the devil!" With that, he slammed out of the room.

Thomas wiped his forehead and returned to the servants' hall.

~'~

Within a week, it was announced Mrs. Kirbridge's marriage was over. From the knowing looks Hudson and Mrs. Bridges cast each other, they knew the marriage had been annulled. Rose did too, but she kept her silence, and Thomas followed her lead. Lady Marjorie and Mr. Bellamy had been as good as their word and Thomas wasn't about to jeopardise his new position as chauffeur for the sake of gossip, true though it was.

Thomas stood in the mews' garage and ran a cloth over the gleaming Daimler before him. Now, this was a car worthy of driving. It seemed things really had turned out for the best.

"Thomas..."

Thomas turned and touched his cap. "Yes, Miss Elizabeth?"

To his alarm, she was eyeing the large motorcar behind him. "My parents have sent back the Dennis."

"Yes, miss. Yes, they have."

"Do you think you could -"

"No. I'm sorry, miss, but no. It'd be more than my job's worth." Even if it wasn't, the thought of the Daimler in Miss Elizabeth's enthusiastic but disastrous hands was enough to make him stand his ground.

She sighed. "It's a pity. I was just beginning to get the hang of it, too."

"Yes, miss."

She left, and it was Thomas's turn to sigh, this time with relief. It looked like he really had done the right thing to save his bacon after all.

The end.


End file.
